Creating a Company: Bedrock Outdoors

Dixon, Emma

Publication

Creating a Company: Bedrock Outdoors

Dixon, Emma

Description

My honors capstone consists of my entrepreneurial experience in the Fall 2021 Fisher Innovation Launchpad. The idea for Bedrock Outdoors stemmed from learning about the barriers of entry to outdoor recreation that many people face. These include cost, travel, gear, education, and a lack of representation. In the fall of 2020, I entered the Ellbogen Entrepreneurship Competition, where I proposed a company that would offer outdoor recreation classes, gear rentals, and retail with the mission of increasing accessibility. This past version of Bedrock Outdoors was created in part with another interested student, Taylor Davis. After not receiving funding, Taylor and I entered the Fisher Innovation Launchpad competition, but Taylor soon exited the competition to keep a healthy work-life balance. In Fisher, Bedrock Outdoors evolved to become an education-focused company focused on those who may not have been fortunate enough to learn outdoor recreation skills growing up. It was rooted in my background in Environmental Science and Outdoor Recreation because education also helps to minimize negative human impacts on the environment. Collaborative skills and the market research process were required throughout Fisher. Focus groups, interviews, and surveys, were primarily used to learn what needs Bedrock Outdoors should meet. The future of this project will be a continuous process of market research and customer validation. This input will be used to make Bedrock Outdoors into a company ready to launch.